Device for shipping violin and other strings.



E. R. SCHMIDT. DEVICE FOR SHIPPING VIOLIN AND OTHER STRINGS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1914.

1,106,413. Patented Aug. 11,1914,

wit zoo a4 'FIHZ NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON D.

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ERNST nnrnHoLn SCHMIDT, or nanmvnuxrnonnn, GERMANY.

. DEVICE FOR SHIPPING VIOLIN AND OTHER STRINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

App1ication filed March 9, 1914.

Patented Aug. ii, 191a. Serial N0. 823,508.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST REINHOLD SCHMIDT, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Markneukirchen, Saxony, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Shipping Violin and other Strings, of which the following is a specification. I

I This invention relates to a device for shipping violin and other strings, and has for its object to provide an improved device by means of which such strings may be shipped, transported orkept in a stretched condition.

In shipping and storing strings in the cus tomary manner, that is, either straight or coiled, the gut or silk comprising the strings or forming a part thereof, is subject to shrinkage owing to atmospheric conditions,

and with strings Which are wound with wire, the winding tends to become loose, thereby making the strings worthless or defective. By shipping or storing strings in a stretched or taut condition, this defect is avoided and the strings will not shrink or become wireloose.

By means of the device herein disclosed, it

is possible to ship or store various quantities of wire-wound or other strings in stretched condition, so that atmospheric conditions or changes have no effect thereon.

One embodiment of the invention is illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the device. Fig. 2 is a section on. the line 9r'2 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates a rod, preferably of metal, provided at one end with a handle 7, and screw threaded at the other end, for a portion of its length, as indicated at 8. At the handle end the rod is provided with a disk 9 having notches 10 around the edge thereof. That part of the rod next to the screw end is flat tened as indicated at 11, and on this flattened part is slidably mounted a U-shaped guide bracket 13, the flattened part of the rod passing through a shaped hole in the bend of the bracket, so that the latter can not turn, but is free to slide. The outer ends of the bracket are fastened to a disk 14:, the edge of which is also notched to correspond to the notches in the disk 9. A. thumb nut 15 is mounted on the screw-threaded part 8 of the rod and has a neck extending through the disk 14, with a collar 16 inside, so that the disk let and the bracket 13 will travel with the nut when the latter is turned on the screw. The purpose of this is to stretch the strings 17, the opposite ends of which are engaged in the notches of the respective disks. The strings may be knotted at the ends, so that they will not pull out of the notches.

The device may be modified in various ways, particularly with respect to the means for connecting the opposite ends of the strings to the disks or other holding devices, at least one of which will be movable for the purpose of applying the necessary tension to the strings.

In the use of the device, the strings to be shipped or stored are engaged in the notches at their opposite ends, or otherwise connected to the holding members, and then by turning the thumb nut 15 the outer disk is drawn outwardly, the bracket 13 sliding with the disk on the squared part of the rod, until sufficient tension is produced on the strings to keep them in stretched condition. In this condition the device may be placed in a tube or other holder for the purpose of mailing or otherwise transporting the strings, and they may be stored in the same condition, the strings remaining under tensionuntil removed for use. By this means the objectionable shrinkage of the strings or the core thereof is prevented. Strings so transported or stored will be found to retain their good condition, without deterioration.

What I claim as new is:

1. A device of the kind stated, comprising a threaded rod provided at opposite ends with members for attaching strings, one of said members being movable along the rod, and a nut on said rod, engaging said member to move the same along the rod.

2. A device of the kind stated, comprising a rod, disks thereon, one of which is slidable along the rod, said disks having means at the edges thereof to engage the ends of strings, means to prevent rotation of the movable disk on the rod, and means to ad just the movable disk along the rod 3. A device of the kind stated, comprising a rod, spaced disks thereon having string ennature 1n presence of tWo Witnesses. gaging means, a bracket slidableand non w rotatable on the rod, one of the dlsks being RN 5 carried by the bracket, and means to achust \vltnesses:

the bracket along the rod, to stretch the OSKAR WALTER 'STOLL, strings. WALTER GREINER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, lay-addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." i r In testimony whereof I do aifixmy sig- 

